UK Eurovision entry James Newman hopes to return next year after 2020 contest was cancelled

James Newman has said he hopes to return to Eurovision in 2021 to represent the UK.

Eurovision 2020 was cancelled in March due to the ongoing health crisis.

It is set to return in 2021 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands where this year’s contest was to be hosted.

The European Broadcasting Union previously announced that participants are welcome to return, with the EBU leaving it up to each broadcaster to decide who they want to represent them in 2021.

However, any song submitted for this year’s contest will not be eligible for next year.

James told The Sun newspaper: “I’m a firm believer in visualising what you want to achieve in life so I was imagining myself standing on stage winning, because you’ve got to. It felt like there was a lot of positivity around it.

“I started something and I really want to finish it. I was on such a journey. If I got the opportunity to go next year I would love to”

And a confident James says he reckons he can write an even better song than this year’s tune My Last Breath.

He explained: “It’s given me more insight into the Eurovision world. I feel I’ve learnt so much now that I’ll be able to connect with people even more than I would have done on this song.

“Next time writing the song, I would have in the back of my head what I would do for the stage show as well, because it is so important.”

This Saturday night – the planned date of the Eurovision final – the BBC will air a night of Eurovision-themed programmes.

On BBC One in Eurovision: Come Together the British public will get the opportunity to take part in a live online vote to choose their all-time favourite Eurovision song from the past 64 years.

Following that, Graham Norton will provide commentary for Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light, which replaces this year’s Eurovision Song Contest and will honour all 41 songs that would have competed in the 2020 contest as well as providing plenty of surprises for fans and viewers at home.

Later on BBC Two, Rylan Clark-Neal will narrate a guide to all things Eurovision in this brand new compilation of Eurovision highlights in The A-Z Of Eurovision.

Moving through the alphabet Rylan will take a light hearted yet affectionate sideways look at the greatest singing competition on the planet, and serves up some of the most memorable, and sometimes forgotten classic moments from the show’s 64 year history.

Plus on Radio 2 there will be a host of Eurovision programmes including Eurovision Kings and Queens of Pop with Rylan Clark Neal and a Eurovision Collection broadcast on Radio 2 and on BBC Sounds, featuring fantastic programmes from the archive.